Uneasy and complaining, and not able to settle down. A fretful person is worried about something small but cannot put it away, so the worry keeps leaking out as grumbling, restlessness, small movements, an inability to sit still or sleep. It is a quiet, low-level state, not a storm — closer to a child whining because it is too hot than to real anger or real fear.

Uneasy and complaining不安又愛抱怨，and not able to settle down而且靜不下來。A fretful person一個fretful的人 is worried about something small為了小事而擔心，but cannot put it away卻放不下，so the worry keeps leaking out as於是那份擔心就不斷洩漏成 grumbling, restlessness, small movements抱怨、坐立不安、小動作，an inability to sit still or sleep無法安坐或入睡。It is a quiet, low-level state這是一種安靜、低程度的狀態，not a storm不是一場風暴，closer to a child whining because it is too hot比較接近一個因為太熱而哭鬧的小孩，than to real anger or real fear而不是真正的憤怒或恐懼。

In fact it is used more about babies and small children than about anyone else: a fretful baby is one who cries on and off all night for no clear reason. When it is used of adults it often suggests, gently, that they are fussing more than the situation deserves.

In fact事實上 it is used more about babies and small children這個字更常用來說嬰兒和小孩子 than about anyone else而不是其他人：a fretful baby一個fretful的寶寶 is one who cries on and off all night是整晚斷斷續續哭鬧的寶寶 for no clear reason沒有明顯的原因。When it is used of adults當它用在大人身上時 it often suggests, gently通常委婉地暗示 that they are fussing more than the situation deserves他們小題大作了。

Writers stretch it to a whole night, a crowd, or even the sea — 'a fretful sleep', 'a fretful sky' — meaning restless and never quite calm. It is more a literary word than a spoken one; in conversation people say grumpy, whiny, or unsettled.

Writers stretch it to作家會把這個字延伸到 a whole night, a crowd, or even the sea一整夜、一群人、甚至大海—'a fretful sleep'像是「a fretful sleep」、'a fretful sky'「a fretful sky」—meaning restless and never quite calm意思是不安穩、始終靜不下來。It is more a literary word than a spoken one這個字比較書面而不太口語；in conversation people say在對話裡大家會說 grumpy, whiny, or unsettledgrumpy、whiny或unsettled。